Tavle med snegle 1765 - 1833

Gerhard Ludvig Lahde created this plate with snails using engraving, sometime between 1780 and 1833. Lahde lived during a time of burgeoning scientific exploration and classification. These meticulous depictions of snails are a testament to the era's fascination with cataloging the natural world, which carries strong colonial undertones. They were not only specimens but also reflected the Danish state's claim to global resources. The act of depicting and classifying nature was deeply entwined with exerting control over it. Consider how Lahde’s work mirrors the broader societal attitudes towards exploration and knowledge acquisition, which were often underpinned by power dynamics and colonial ambitions. The images allow us to reflect on the history of science as a practice deeply embedded in social and political contexts. How might we, today, look at such images with a more critical and informed perspective?